EL ALAMEIN, Egypt, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Egypt's ongoing El Alamein International Airshow is bringing military aviation up close to visitors, with crowds watching fighter jets roar overhead before turning their cameras toward aircraft parked just a few steps away.
Some visitors walk around the aircraft, examining their details and posing for photographs and selfies, while others take the opportunity to meet the pilots.
Jouwairia Khaled, a student from Cairo, had never seen military aircraft up close before.
"I never imagined the scale would be like this," she told Xinhua, describing her excitement at seeing the aircraft for the first time.
The second edition of the El Alamein International Airshow, held from Tuesday to Thursday at El Alamein International Airport, features aerial displays, static aircraft exhibits, and an exhibition showcasing aerospace, defense, and space products and services.
Organizers said the 2026 airshow is expected to attract more than 250 exhibitors from 50 countries, with over 50 flying displays and more than 100 aircraft on show.
For Ali Ibrahim, an aviation enthusiast from Cairo, the airshow offered a particularly exciting experience.
"I've always enjoyed reading about aviation, but this was the first time I had seen these aircraft up close," he said.
Mohamed al-Oqda, a ship captain from Cairo, returned to the airshow after attending its first edition in 2024.
He described this year's event as "wonderful" and "truly honorable," praising its lively atmosphere, strong turnout and broad international participation.
The event was "fantastic for the public to witness," al-Oqda said, adding that the El Alamein airshow gives people in Egypt a chance to experience such displays firsthand.
"Standing beside a fighter jet, taking a selfie with it, watching a pilot prepare for a display or looking up as an aircraft suddenly roared overhead is a unique moment," he added. ■